IN PAYROLL, YANKEES MOVE OVER

In Payroll, Dodgers Tell Yankees to Move Over

By TYLER KEPNER

Published: December 15, 2012

The real story, Stan Kasten insisted, is not the payroll. The resurrection of the Los Angeles Dodgers cannot be measured by the sum of their salaries, as staggering as that total has become.

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Magic Johnson, right, a Dodgers co-owner, with Zack Greinke, who signed a six-year, $147 million deal.

Yet all people talk about is the payroll, which seems to have no limits and has positioned the Dodgers as the West Coast version of the Yankees — if the Yankees spent a little more. Even the Angels, who have lured Albert Pujols and now Josh Hamilton to Anaheim, cannot match the Dodgers in spending.

The Yankees have had the major leagues’ highest payroll in each of the last 14 seasons, six times topping $200 million, according to Baseball Prospectus. But the Dodgers will hold the top spot in 2013, having committed more than $210.6 million to 21 players, with another $11.5 million owed to the departed Manny Ramirez and Andruw Jones. Barring trades, and including the undetermined salaries for younger players filling out the roster, the payroll almost certainly will be a major league record.

It is twice the payroll the new owners, led by Mark Walter, Magic Johnson and Kasten, inherited last May, when they bought the club for $2.15 billion. The Dodgers have made more than $600 million in salary commitments since then, transforming the culture of a team that was emerging from bankruptcy under the previous owner, Frank McCourt.

“I understand the questions about it,” Kasten said. “But no one quite understands the economics of, first of all, the transaction that we made and the resources available in terms of support — whether it’s support from fans buying tickets and hot dogs, the strategic partners who want to be aligned with us, or sponsorship and media partners. There are a lot of good things, and unique things, available in this market.”

Kasten would not address specifics of the Dodgers’ finances, which have become increasingly confounding to rival executives who wonder how they can afford it all in absence of a firm commitment on a new television deal. Walter’s company, Guggenheim Partners, is a global financial services firm that manages some $125 billion and used its Indiana-based insurance companies to pay for the team. A coming TV deal is presumably underwriting, and motivating, the spending spree.

More and more, local cable contracts are driving the industry because of the value of live programming in the DVR age. Fox will carry the Dodgers’ local telecasts for one more season and has reportedly discussed a 25-year extension for $6 billion. But the Dodgers have other options, and thus negotiating leverage. They could switch to Time Warner or create their own network, as teams like the Yankees have done.

The Yankees have a roster full of must-see players, and the Dodgers have added several high-profile and well-paid stars since the middle of last season. They traded last summer for Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, and last week signed Zack Greinke for six years and $147 million, a $24.5 million annual average that is the highest for a pitcher on a multiyear deal. They also invested $61.7 million — in a six-year contract and a posting fee — for the South Korean left-hander Ryu Hyun-Jin.

Vince Gennaro, the author of “Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball” and a consultant to several clubs, said: “When you have the kind of TV deal on the table that’s been discussed, and something like that is imminent, I think that goes hand-in-hand with spending to win on the field. I really don’t think, in that context, it’s irrational in any way. Before people get wind of the TV deal, they’ll think that’s a lot of payroll — but not when you look at it in the context of what’s at stake. I’m sure the media partners, if they’re putting that kind of money out there, are not expecting the Dodgers to come up short in trying to win.”

Although the Dodgers have homegrown stars in Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, the McCourt ownership spent little on player development, with a major-league-low $300,000 international budget in 2011. Last winter, with ownership in limbo, General Manager Ned Colletti was limited to low-cost additions like Chris Capuano and Jerry Hairston Jr.

EDB

CC, TEX LIKE YANK STANCE

Yankees

CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira believe Yankees have enough talent to contend next season

The key to the Yanks’ 2013 season, Teixeira says, is for the team to have ready replacements in case injuries hit again.

By Anthony Mccarron / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Thursday, December 13, 2012, 11:53 PM

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Mark Teixeira says the Yankees have been old since he joined the team, but more importantly, the Bombers are experienced.

An aging roster and a lack of splashy acquisitions have led to some fan and media handwringing over the Yankees’ offseason.

But both CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira said Thursday that the Yanks have enough talent to contend next year, regardless of how old the players are or whether anyone new is signed.

“Listen, we’ve been old since I’ve gotten here,” Teixeira said. “I mean, I’m young at 32 on this team when you look at our roster. But experience is important, and we’ve continued to win as long as I’ve been here with an older team.”

Added Sabathia: “(The offseason) isn’t over yet. You’ve always got to look out for the Yankees to have something up their sleeves. But if not, we have the guys.”

Both were in the city Thursday for charity events. Teixeira appeared at Harlem RBI’s DREAM Charter School to talk to students about eating healthy and to hand out healthy snacks. Sabathia and his wife, Amber, held their second annual holiday party for kids from the Madison Square Boys and Girls Club at the MLB Fan Cave.

The key to the Yanks’ 2013 season, Teixeira says, is for the Yanks to have ready replacements in case injuries hit again.

“We have to have some young guys step up,” he said. “Look at what (David) Phelps did (last season). He was huge. If he doesn’t come in and take those starts and pitch really well and pitch some really great innings out of the bullpen, we may not win the division.”

Both also said they were healthy. Sabathia, who is recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur in his left elbow, says he will start throwing after Christmas and won’t be limited at the start of spring camp.

KNOWS HIS A-ROD
Teixeira wasn’t surprised to hear about Alex Rodriguez’s looming hip surgery, based on how the third baseman looked in the playoffs.

“Alex isn’t going to tell you if anything is wrong — he’s going to go out and grind it, as we all do,” Teixeira said. “But you could tell — he wasn’t moving the way he’s used to moving.”

YOUK CAN DO IT
Not surprisingly, both Sabathia and Teixeira endorsed the Kevin Youkilis signing. Said Teixeira: “That guy is a winner.”

“I told him he’d be excited about being able to pop balls up to right field and get them out of here,” joked Sabathia, who said he has exchanged recent text messages with Youkilis.

Okay CC, you are a gamer and obviously, you are free to talk.  I don’t agree with you.  The Yankees got swept and embarrassed by the Tigers.  Texiera is another story.  He is a .250 hitter.  If you watch the majority of his at bats, he fails too come up big too often in the clutch.  He has a lot to say for a guy paid to be a big bat and who has not produced enough.  What is your experience Mark?  You have either been hurt too much or you choke.  EDB

YANKEES NEWS AND NOTES

• New York Yankees News

New York Yankees News & Notes: Ichiro, Youkilis, Spring Training

By Tanya Bondurant on Dec 14, 12:09p49

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Ichiro Suzuki and the Yankees are close to finalizing a two-year deal in the $12 to $13 million dollar range. I’ve made my thoughts on Ichiro for two years known already, but I’m not the one writing the checks. The Yankees (and all of us) better hope that Ichiro is the guy he was in New York and not the guy he was for a much longer time in Seattle prior to the trade.

Kevin Youkilis got some support from his new teammates in the form of Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain tossing some kind words his way. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano had already done the same. Hopefully the fans can follow suit, because he’s one of our own now.

The Yankees released their Spring Training schedule this week, announcing that pitchers and catchers will report on February 12th. The first real game will be against the Atlanta Braves on February 23rd in Lake Buena Vista. None of this can get here soon enough.

Rivera promises to be ready to pitch on Opening Day after recovering from his torn ACL. He hasn’t actually started throwing yet, but expects to begin that soon. CC Sabathia will begin throwing again after Christmas on his way to recovering from surgery on his elbow. Sabathia has started his preparation for the next season after Christmas the past couple of years, so he seems to be right on schedule.

Mark Teixeira isn’t concerned with the Yankees signing old players, because they’ve been old ever since he joined the team. Thanks, Mark, I feel tons better now.

EDB

ARTE MORENO TAKES PAGE FROM BOSSE’S BOOK

Yankees

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno following in late George Steinbrenner’s footsteps, signing one big-name free agent after another

It is sure to create huge buzz in So Cal, just as signing Albert Pujols did a year ago, when the Angels became instant favorites to win the AL West and reach the World Series.

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NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, December 14, 2012, 12:32 AM

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Josh Hamilton is headed to the Angels, which sign their second superstar slugger in as many years.

Ed Murawinski/Daily News

Josh Hamilton.

It’s official now: Arte Moreno is the new George Steinbrenner, as determined to make the biggest splash as he is to win a championship.

Whether collecting high-priced sluggers is the right formula remains to be seen, but Moreno is clearly running the Angels with the late Boss’ old owner’s manual, stunning the baseball world for the second straight year by swooping in to sign a superstar free agent, Josh Hamilton this time.

That it was likely in reaction to the free-spending Dodgers signing Zack Greinke away from the Angels makes it all the more Steinbrenner-like, as Moreno desperately wants his Angels to be as relevant in Los Angeles as they are in Anaheim.

RELATED: HUNTER TAKES SHOT AT ANGELS OWNER FOR SIGNING HAMILTON

It is sure to create huge buzz in So Cal, just as signing Albert Pujols did a year ago, when the Angels became instant favorites to win the AL West and reach the World Series.

The problem, of course, is that even with rookie phenom Mike Trout having an MVP-caliber season, the Angels failed to make the playoffs, mostly because of pitching problems, especially in the bullpen.

So you can make a case that they’d have been better off outbidding the Dodgers on Greinke, in addition to signing Ryan Madson to strengthen the bullpen. As it is, the Hamilton signing on Thursday opened the door for considerable speculation among baseball people as to whether the Angels would now try to trade with the Mets for R.A. Dickey.

However, the Angels probably would have to be willing to give up power-hitting Mark Trumbo, who hit 32 home runs last year, to sway the Mets. Certainly weak-hitting Peter Bourjos wouldn’t do it, and they don’t have another appealing outfield prospect anywhere near major league-ready.

Trumbo’s power would almost certainly be too much to turn down, even if his .316 on-base percentage last season doesn’t fit the Sandy Alderson offensive model.

So we’ll see about that. From a big-picture perspective, this is more about attention shifting nationally in baseball from the East Coast to West. After years of Yankees-Red Sox being hyped as the must-see rivalry in the game, suddenly the Angels-Rangers makes for greater intrigue, considering that C.J. Wilson and now Hamilton have switched sides the last two years.

You think there’s not some bad blood there? Never mind Kevin Youkilis putting on the pinstripes; imagine what Andy Pettitte and Robinson Cano signing on in Boston would do the state of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.

And for the moment, at least, California is the center of the baseball universe. The Giants have won two of the last three World Series, and now the Dodgers and Angels are fighting for the right to own Los Angeles, both of them throwing money around the way the Yankees did for so many years.

It doesn’t mean there will be a Freeway Series in 2013, of course. The Red Sox of 2011 and the Angels last season were proof that winning the offseason guarantees nothing.

Actually, the last team to cash in on a huge offseason was the 2009 Yankees, who rode the free-agent signings of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira to a championship.

Now, well, the Hamilton signing was more proof that the Yankees are out of the blockbuster-signing market these days and committed to getting that payroll under $189 million after next season.

At last week’s winter meetings, more than a few baseball people were convinced that the Yankees were just waiting to strike on Hamilton — not because they had heard rumblings, but merely because they have been trained to expect such things from the team in the Bronx

“I guess times really have changed,’’ one long-time scout said on Thursday. “I never thought I’d see the day. But you can’t tell me that Hamilton wouldn’t be a Yankee if George were still alive.’’

There was certainly a case to be made for signing Hamilton. His Mantle-esque power and dynamic game would have jazzed a fan base that, judging by the empty seats at Yankee Stadium during the playoffs, seems a bit underwhelmed by the state of the current team.

On the other hand, the payroll issue aside, it’s hard to fault the Yankees for passing on Hamilton. He’s a huge risk, injury-prone in addition to his well-documented history of drug addiction, and you’d have to think bringing him to New York wouldn’t be the ideal environment for him.

Then again, Southern California isn’t exactly small-town USA. So let’s see how it plays out.

If the Angels win it all, Moreno basks in the glory, as Steinbrenner did in the late ’70s and late ’90s. If this team, with four players — Hamilton, Pujols, Wilson and Vernon Wells — on mega-money deals contracts, is a bust, Moreno will find out what it was like to be The Boss in the ’80s and early ’90s.

That is to say, a Seinfeld character.

EDB

 

PHILLIES SIGN RELIEVER MIKE ADAMS

Source: Phillies to sign Mike Adams

Updated: December 15, 2012, 11:36 AM ET

By Jayson Stark | ESPN.com

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Reliever Mike Adams has agreed to a two-year, $12-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, pending a physical, an industry source told ESPN.com.

 

A vesting 2015 option would convert the deal to a guaranteed third season if Adams appears in 120 games or more over the first two seasons with at least 60 appearances in 2014.

Mike Adams

#37 RP
Texas Rangers

2012 STATS

The 34-year-old right-hander is recovering from surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, but is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for spring training.

Adams, who is represented by Seth and Sam Levinson of Aces Inc., chose the Phillies over a group of teams that included the Nationals, Rangers, Brewers, White Sox, Angels and Cubs.

One of the Phillies’ top priorities heading into the offseason was acquiring a proven set-up man to handle the eighth inning in front of closer Jonathan Papelbon. They lost 16 games last season that they led in the seventh inning or later.

By contrast, the Nationals and Braves, who finished ahead of them in the NL East, lost 10 such games combined.

Adams leads all set-up men in baseball in holds over the last three seasons with 97. And his 2.06 ERA in that period is second to Atlanta’s Eric O’Flaherty, among relievers who worked at least 175 innings.

EDB

R.A. DICKEY TRADE IN THE WORKS

Source: R.A. Dickey to Jays in works

Updated: December 15, 2012, 10:41 AM ET

By Adam Rubin | ESPNNewYork.com

R.A. Dickey, who rose from the first cut in New York Mets spring training camp in 2010 to NL Cy Young winner two years later, will by all indications continue his epic tale in Canada.

The Mets were working Saturday morning toward completing a trade that would send the 38-year-old knuckleballer to the Toronto Blue Jays, a major league executive aware of the talks told ESPNNewYork.com.

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The Mets desperately need catching and outfield help, and have been seeking 23-year-old catching prospect Travis d’Arnaud.

Two baseball sources told ESPNNewYork.com on Saturday morning that Dickey has not yet engaged Toronto in extension talks, nor has he been asked to undergo a physical.

An executive aware of the talks added that the Mets unexpectedly had been approached by another team Friday night, and that the full framework of a deal with Toronto had not yet been reached.

Upon completion of the trade, Dickey would become only the fourth reigning Cy Young Award winner in major league history to start the following season with a new team via trade, joining David Cone (1995), Pedro Martinez (1998) and Roger Clemens (1999). Three other reigning Cy Young winners — Catfish Hunter (1975), Mark Davis (1990), Greg Maddux (1993) — switched teams for the following season as free agents.

Dickey is under contract for next season at $5 million.

The Mets attempted to negotiate an extension with Dickey, but the sides were approximately $6 million apart.

Sources have told ESPN.com that Dickey sought two additional years at a combined $26 million to $28 million from the Mets on top of the existing money he owed in 2013. The Mets had countered at two years and $20 million, a source added.

Dickey expressed his frustration with the pace of negotiations while appearing earlier this week at a holiday party at Citi Field for schoolchildren affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“In the context of the market, you want what you think is fair,” Dickey said. “I feel like we’re asking for less than what’s fair because that’s how it’s been for me. There is a surprise sometimes when things don’t get done quickly and you already think you’re extending the olive branch. At the same time, they have a budget they have to adhere to. I don’t know those numbers. And I try not to take it personally.”

EDB

JOHN KRUK: A-ROD WON’T BE THE SAME

Yankees

ESPN’s John Kruk doesn’t think Alex Rodriguez will ever be the same after he undergoes his second hip surgery since 2009 in January

For Kruk, any comparisons to how Rodriguez rebounded from right hip surgery in 2009 (30 homers, 100 RBI before leading the Bombers to a World Series title ) are invalid.

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Friday, December 14, 2012, 12:17 AM

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Chris Young/AP

Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to undergo his second hip surgery since 2009 in January.

When dissecting the Yankees’ acquisition of Kevin Youkilis, it’s important to recognize the obvious: In this cult-of-personality world, Youk ain’t no Alex Rodriguez.

Not in terms of buzz factor, which has made A-Rod a transcendent star. Or having the ability to bring eyeballs to the tube, either. Rodriguez’s at-bats are anticipated. When A-Rod steps to the plate, even the casual fan is watching. This helps the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network’s pursuit of ratings.

INSIDER: CC, TEX LIKE YANK STANCE

Without Rodriguez, who is scheduled to have surgery on his left hip in January, many facets of Yankees business are affected, including the organization losing its designated scapegoat. Now he can only provide drama surrounding what lies ahead. Then again, maybe the Yankees can use A-Rod in another capacity. We’ll get to that later.

The story of Brian Cashman trying to plug holes on the Yankees roster, or whether Hal Steinbrenner will open the vault, is the media’s focus. The storylines provide cloud cover for Rodriguez’s uncertain future.

John Kruk sees right through it. He thinks A-Rod will never be the same.

“What are the chances of that hip coming back 100%? Not very good. It’s going to be a huge struggle for him,” Kruk, who was elevated to ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” booth replacing Terry Francona, said over the telephone. “I hope not. I don’t wish bad on any player, but it’s a devastating injury to have your front hip (when you’re hitting) maybe immobile for the rest of the season when he comes back.”

For Kruk, any comparisons to how Rodriguez rebounded from right hip surgery in 2009 (30 homers, 100 RBI before leading the Bombers to a World Series title ) are invalid. Kruk kept emphasizing how important the front hip is to a hitter because “it takes all the torque,” the turning, twisting force.

“If it (the left hip) is not turning and rotating with force, he’ll never be that power guy again,” Kruk said. “. . . He can’t stand there with that big leg kick and try hitting home runs, He has to make a complete adjustment to his swing. If he can’t, he’s in big trouble. Alex is such a big guy, he’s going to accidentally hit 20 homers, but he’s not going be a 35- to 40-homer guy anymore.”

Kruk said the “new” A-Rod has to figure out a way to drive in runs with singles and doubles, kind of like Derek Jeter, who relies on his hands to hit and can make adjustments mid-pitch.

“That’s what he’s going to have to do,” Kruk said.

Yankees suits never thought they would wind up paying A-Rod $114 million over the last five years of his contract to be a peashooter. This makes a bad contract even worse. Worse still, during the rehabilitation process, Rodriguez’s steroids history will be revisited, and most likely will be when he’s back in uniform.

That baggage, combined with the pressure attached to the task of totally recreating himself at the plate will present A-Rod’s greatest challenge. “It’s not a mental challenge. It’s a major ego adjustment,” Kruk said. “When you’re used to hitting 40 homers and now you’re hitting balls that aren’t going out of the ballpark. It gets in your head. It’s ‘Uh, oh, what do I do now? Oh god, if I can’t hit the ball out of the ballpark how am I going to survive? Pitchers are going to eat me up.’ ”

This is not a pretty picture. Does anyone really think A-Rod can pull off an offensive makeover? He may want to start contemplating a new line of work, one that would be beneficial to him and the Yankees.

That’s why, once the season starts, he should think about some trial runs in YES’ booth. A-Rod is a good talker. It is certain he will attract a larger audience than usual. This would be good for YES, whose ratings hit a nine-year low last season. Good for the organization, too. Not only would Rodriguez actually be providing a service, but being around the game might also put his mind at ease.

Face it, A-Rod would become an instant attraction talking about pitchers he would have to face when he returns. So, he wouldn’t be critical of his teammates. That would make him just like every mouth already working in the YES booth. And he certainly could explain what it feels like being pulled from a game.

If Rodriguez wants a second career when he’s finished (after listening to Kruk that could be sooner than anyone thinks) working in the booth would give him a chance to see if he likes the gig and if he’s is any good at it.

He also would be breaking a record Yankee suits were not counting on when they signed him to that marvelous contract.

Alex Rodriguez would instantly become the highest-paid voice in the history of baseball broadcasting.

A very interesting article. I like that Bob Raissman, a striaght shooter mentions how “Brian Cashman filling holes and Hal opening up the checkbook, are cloud covers for A-Rod’s uncertain future.”  It is likely that A-Rod is done.  Best case scenario, A-Rod retires and the Yankees recoup 75% of the salary owed to him, through insurance.  It is also possible A-Rod agrees to a buyout.   I like the suggestion of the YES booth.  We could then hear Alex’s “pearls of wisdom.”  The Yankees need to move on and we as fans need for A-Rod to get out of the game.  If not, we will pay for the “huge” mistake both Hank and Hal Made in resigning him for such a large contract.   EDB

YANKEES HIT WITH LUXURY TAX AGAIN

Sports Briefing | Baseball

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: December 14, 2012

 

The Yankees have been hit with an $18.9 million luxury tax by Major League Baseball, the 10th consecutive year they will pay a penalty for their spending. The Yankees finished with a $222.5 million payroll for purposes of the tax, according to figures sent to teams Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press. The Yankees have run up a luxury tax bill of $224.2 million over the past decade.

After its payroll-shedding trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, Boston finished just $47,177 under the $178 million threshold. The Los Angeles Angels wound up at $176.7 million, and Philadelphia at $174.5 million.

Does this mean the Yankees have to dump Robinson Cano?  We all know that the Yankees print the green.  Hank needs to stop his bullshit! EDB

30 WORST CLUBHOUSE CANCERS IN BASEBALL HISTORY

By

Robert Knapel

(Featured Columnist) on January 23, 2012

 

Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

A number of players are great teammates, and they have no problem getting along with others in their organization. However, there are players in baseball that are incredibly divisive.

Clubhouse cancers like these can have a negative impact on their team and eventually cost them wins. Players like this get traded often, as they seem to cause trouble wherever they go.

The following players were some of the biggest clubhouse cancers in MLB history. They were bad teammates and caused problems in the locker room.

Oliver Perez

Marc Serota/Getty Images

People are inherently selfish, and Oliver Perez proved that during his time with the New York Mets. He was pitching poorly, and the Mets wanted to send him down to Triple-A.

Perez didn’t want to go, and he refused multiple attempts by the team to send him down. This obviously did not go over well in the clubhouse as Perez was not willing to try to improve himself or do what was best for the team.

Manny Ramirez

Elsa/Getty Images

Talented athletes are occasionally quirky, and Manny Ramirez was certainly one of those players. He was able to get away with a lot of things because of his on-the-field abilities.

However, some of his teammates were willing to speak out about Ramirez. Jonathan Papelbon had no problem saying that Ramirez had a negative impact on the Boston Red Sox’s play.

Carlos Zambrano

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Carlos Zambrano had his fair share of issues during his time with the Chicago Cubs, and Theo Epstein made sure that one of the first things he did after joining the Cubs was get rid of Zambrano.

Zambrano once got into an altercation with catcher Michael Barrett in the Cubs dugout. He has also been seen yelling at his teammates. Then, in 2011 there was the weird incident in which Zambrano cleaned out his locker after a game and stated that he was considering retirement.

Vicente Padilla

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The reputation of being a clubhouse cancer is one that follows a player around throughout his career, and it certainly hurts him when he hits the free agent market. Vicente Padilla has had this reputation for most of his career.

During his time with the Texas Rangers, Padilla forged a bad reputation for himself. He was eventually cut from the team that summer.

Milton Bradley

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Despite having the same name as one of the most famous toy companies in the world, Milton Bradley was not as much fun to play games with as one would imagine.

The issues that Bradley had have been well documented. Bradley has caused troubles throughout his time in the major leagues.

Gary Sheffield

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Gary Sheffield was known for thinking about what was best for Gary Sheffield first and then what was best for the team he played for second.

This me-first attitude obviously did not earn Sheffield a lot of friends during his time in the majors, but he was able to get things done on the field.

Marty Bergen

Marty Bergen played baseball in the late 1800s. He was an outstanding defensive catcher, but he struggled at the plate.

Bergen suffered from mental health issues and they occasionally manifested themselves during his time in the majors. He fought with his teammates and he would occasionally just leave the team. It got so bad that teammates hoped that he would not return following the 1899 season.

Photo Credit: Baseball Reference

Charles Comiskey

Back in the early years of baseball, it was not all that uncommon to have a player/manager. Charles Comiskey served in these roles for a large part of his career.

Comiskey would put himself in the lineup even if he did not deserve to play. He frustrated his teammates with these decisions.

Later, he would go on to become the owner of the Chicago White Sox, and his players’ turned against him.

Jocko Halligan

There are occasionally verbal altercations between players, but very rarely do teammates actually get involved in a fist fight.

Jocko Halligan was involved in one of those rare brawls. He was involved in a poker game with teammate Cub Stricker, and after an argument Halligan punched Stricker in the face and broke his jaw.

Photo Credit: Baseball Reference

Hal Chase

During his career in the majors, Hal Chase was considered to be one of the better players in the league. That did not mean that he was well liked.

Chase fought with his manager, George Stallings, when he was with the New York Highlanders. His career effectively ended by allegations that he paid players to throw games.

Photo Credit: Baseball Reference

Ty Cobb

Ty Cobb is one of the greatest players to ever step on a baseball diamond, and he played the game with an incredible passion. The problem is that Cobb was intense with everything he did.

Cobb got into a number of fights over the years. He had no problem fighting fans, groundskeepers, umpires and even members of his own team. There were times during his career when his teammates had to intervene to stop him from fighting.

Photo Credit: Baseball Reference

Rogers Hornsby

Rogers Hornsby was both incredibly talented and incredibly controversial. He never seemed to fit in with his teammates since he did not go out to get drinks or to the movies with them. This pushed them away from him.

Hornsby had a big ego, and he was not afraid to voice his opinion. When Jack Hendricks became the St. Louis Cardinals manager, Hornsby was not happy. At the end of the 1918 season, he said he would never play for Hendricks again.

Photo Credit: Baseball Reference

Carl Everett

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It is possible that the reason that Carl Everett’s teammates did not like him is because he did not believe in dinosaurs. However, the much more likely reason is because he was a jerk in the clubhouse.

Everett certainly did not play the game of baseball to make friends, and he was known for being difficult to deal with.

John Rocker

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John Rocker managed to anger all of New York City with just a few sentences. He also managed to alienate himself from his teammates as a result of his actions.

Rocker was one of the players that did not care about how the team did but rather about how he performed. This is not the way to stay in the good graces of teammates.

Julian Tavarez

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In 17 years in the major leagues, Julian Tavarez played for 11 different teams. It is safe to say that he did not make too many friends in the clubhouses he was in.

Tavarez was known for having a short fuse. He was known to go after opposing hitters with pitches, and he even got into fights with some of them.

Jose Guillen

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Some people have no problem speaking their mind. Jose Guillen is one of those people, and he has said whatever he feels about his teammates and managers.

While he was with the Los Angeles Angels, Guillen got into confrontations with manager Mike Scioscia and held a personal grudge. During his time in Cincinnati, Guillen once put a hole in a wall because he was angry that he was taken out of a game.

Kevin Brown

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

During his career in the major leagues, Kevin Brown threw as many temper tantrums as a young child. He was later mentioned in the Mitchell Report so it is possible that these were fits of ‘roid rage.

Brown caused problems wherever he went, and he certainly wore his emotions on his sleeve. Instead of going after his teammates Brown chose to attack inanimate objects, but that did not help his teammates’ view of him.

Shea Hillenbrand

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Shea Hillenbrand burned some bridges during his time with the Toronto Blue Jays. The first issue occurred after Hillenbrand was unhappy that the team didn’t congratulate him for adopting a child.

Then, Hillenbrand had issues about his playing time, and he made them well known by complaining. He then wrote comments stating that the Blue Jays were a sinking ship on the team’s board in the clubhouse. This led to him being dealt from the team.

Albert Belle

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Albert Belle did not have a personality conducive to making friends in the clubhouse. He was known for his outbursts on and off the field as well as for having a combative personality.

When Belle was caught with a corked bat, he famously sent teammate Jason Grimsley to retrieve it from the umpires’ locker room during the game. Belle often caused damage in the clubhouse, and the Cleveland Indians made him pay for it.

Additionally, Belle did not get along well with the media, which made for awkward situations in the locker room.

Barry Bonds

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In an article for Sports Illustrated by Rick Reilly in 2001, he wrote “There are 24 teammates, and there’s Barry Bonds.”

Riley continues in the article to detail how Bonds separated himself from his teammates. Bonds’ teammates didn’t really care about him unless they were on the diamond and he was helping them win games.

Sammy Sosa

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Sammy Sosa was entertaining fans with all of his home runs during his time with the Chicago Cubs. He did not win people over as easily in the Cubs’ locker room.

Sosa’s time with the Cubs came to an early end because of off-the-field issues. There was talk that Sosa was a clubhouse cancer and that he had a negative impact on the team in the locker room.

Carlos Silva

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Carlos Silva was involved in a trade that featured another one of baseball’s biggest hot heads. He was dealt for Milton Bradley and the teams involved were hoping that the player they acquired would benefit from a chance of scenery.

Silva would always blame others for his problems and that along with his declining skills led the Chicago Cubs to cut him. He let the Cubs know his thoughts about his time with the organization once he was cut.

Vince Coleman

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Some of the stories about what happened with Vince Coleman during his time with the New York Mets are so crazy that the seem as if they could have been made up.

He once decided that it was acceptable to recklessly swing a golf club around the Mets’ clubhouse and he hurt Dwight Gooden. Later that year, Coleman decided that it was acceptable to throw a firecracker into a group of fans were looking for autographs.

Reggie Jackson

With the number of fights that Reggie Jackson got into during his time in the major leagues, one has to wonder if he could have had a career as a professional boxer.

It is safe to say that Jackson and New York Yankees manager Billy Martin did not like each other. The two got into a massive brawl in 1977. This was not Jackson’s first dugout fight as he also got into an altercation with Doug North three years earlier.

Photo Credit: Reggie Jackson

Ed Whitson

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Billy Martin had no problem fighting with his players and in addition to getting into an altercation with Reggie Jackson, he also fought Ed Whitson.

Whitson broke Martin’s arm during their fight, and he was traded away shortly after the incident. It is not surprising that he was not that welcome in the Yankees’ clubhouse after the fight.

Rickey Henderson

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It is no surprise that there were players out there that did not exactly enjoy Rickey Henderson’s “Ricky being Ricky” shtick.

As was evident from his persona, Henderson really cared about himself and his performance. This ruffled some feathers and teammates such as Carney Lansford called him out.

Dick Allen

Dick Allen had a bad boy persona during his time in the major leagues. He fought teammates and was very vocal about when he disagreed with his managers.

These events did not help Allen cultivate a great image with his teammates, but they put up with him because of his outstanding production.

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

Jeff Kent

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Jeff Kent was aware that there were people in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization that didn’t like him, and Kent did not care. He had become a clubhouse cancer during his time in the majors.

Kent was known for having a bit of an ego which was a point of contention between himself and his teammates.

Bobby Bonilla

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The New York Mets wanted to get rid of Bobby Bonilla, and they decided to pay him to go away. That is a decision that will haunt them for years to come.

Bonilla was a distraction in the Mets’ clubhouse, and the team wanted to get rid of them before he completely destroyed team chemistry. As a result of this, he will be getting checks from the Mets until 2035.

Luis Castillo

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Luis Castillo was considered to be a clubhouse cancer before he joined the New York Mets, but things got worse once he was with the team. He caused a number of headaches for the team.

Castillo openly complained about his decreasing playing time with the Mets, and he did not handle the situation well. This certainly did not help win over his teammates.

One issue arose when Castillo did not visit the Walter Reed Medical Center with the rest of the team. This added to some already-existing tensions.

EDB

YANKEES MAKE IT OFFICIAL WITH YOUKILIS

Yankees make one-year deal with Kevin Youkilis official

BY Anthony McCarron

You can print your “New Youk City” T-shirts now.

The Yankees officially announced their one-year contract with infielder Kevin Youkilis Friday, who figures to replace the injured Alex Rodriguez at third base while A-Rod recovers from hip surgery.

Youkilis, who turns 34 in March, has a career .283 average with 148 homers and 610 RBI in 1,033 games. He batted .235 with 19 homers and 60 RBI last season for the Red Sox and White Sox.

Youkilis will make $12 million next season, according to sources.

EDB